Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale of Two Wallets ❯ In a Pickle ( Chapter 90 )

A Tale of Two Wallets

(An Altered Destiny)

Written by Jim Robert Bader

Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Nabiki's Journal Continues:

"…A few more adjustments," came the voice from just below my desktop computer, "Flick a few toggles, connect a few more wires and…presto! Upgrade completed!"

The head of the dark haired girl popped up with a cheerful grin and said, "Now all we have to do is flick the one switch and wait for it to reboot."

"You're sure this will do the trick?" I asked, seeing a splotch of grease on her face (and how the heck to you get grease on your face from working with a computer?).

"Sure, no problem," replied Skuld as she got back to her feet after pressing the on-switch, "Now…with power on let's see what happens."

There was a low whirr noise as the fan sprang to life, then the telltale clicks and static I've come to associate with a portal computer when it boots up and initializes the operating system. I confess that I was a bit nervous, seeing how the mini-tower under my desk did not in any way resemble what had been there before the goddess started tinkering around and-to use her own words-"Made a few simple adjustments." I think it was the symbol for atomic power that had come on the side of my new hard drive that made me just a wee bit edgy, but in spite of a few lights flashing and a couple of really weird test patterns flashing over my monitor screen (which was now a flat screen LCD instead of the 14" standard monitor it had been a little more than an hour ago) everything seemed to be functioning normally…

That is until the new "Anti-Bug" software kicked in, and then something came hopping right out from the side of the computer, a really weird looking creature that was like a cross between a rabbit and a spider. It had six legs instead of the normal four and there was something sinister about the way it was twitching its whiskers. I didn't have a lot of time to examine it, though, because Skuld whipped out that croquette mallet she carries around with her and smacked the thing squarely on the head, causing it to vanish.

"Heh, I knew it!" the Goddess trumpeted, "There's always a bug in the system! You shouldn't have any problems from now on, though. I've quadrupled the memory, increased the RAM and speeded up your processing speed to around 2000-Megahertz, without overclocking. That should give you all the power you need to keep a smooth operating system like Yggdrasil Neo-Millennium, the special Skuld version guaranteed to lock out outside intrusions."

"You mean it will keep a certain demoness from reading my files?" I asked as I sat up on my bed, thinking with some eagerness that I could not wait to try out my new system.

"That's what I just said," the young-seeming girl replied a bit testily, as if I were really very slow upstairs to her way of thinking, "You'll have a whole new system with all your encrypted files password protected. I transferred the useful data over to your new HD unit, so there's no way Demon Sorceress lady is going to be hacking into your files. Oneechan wanted you to feel secure, and now I've done my business."

"And you've earned your reward," I nodded to the mini-fridge that I'd recently installed to my room (for emergencies, such as days when Akane tries to improve her skills in the kitchen), "There's ice cream to spare, and in the flavors you wanted."

"Neat!" the young-seeming goddess beamed and promptly started raiding my larder.

I mused to myself how much my life had changed of late, and with all the craziness I had just been through it was only par for the course that I should have a Goddess of Fate working on my computer. Of course I was a bit disconcerted when this particular goddess had appeared to me while I was taking a bath in the furo, rising right up from the surface of the water as dry as a bone and appearing almost as direction lost as a Hibiki.

She had quickly explained why she was here to me and of course I agreed to let her make the modifications that she had recommended. So what if my new computer is now cooled with liquid nitrogen? At least it's self-contained with its own power unit, and a guaranteed lifetime operation capacity of about 20 years (of course having to bury it in concrete in the backyard for the next 40,000 years once it outlives its warranty is a bit daunting). It's all in the name of a good cause, naturally, protecting my files from the prying eyes of a certain malevolent presence that has become quite a pest in our affairs lately.

It's been about a week since the last time I've been able to log on, and I have a lot of stuff to relay here. Skuld naturally suggested a good place to start when she commented on my new engagement ring, the one that had originally belonged to my mother. She said Peorth recognized it from the memories she once shared with Kimiko, my real mother, and that Rose goddess in question had seemed awfully choked up with emotions the last time she paid me a visit, acting very much like I'd expect any mother to fret and behave when she had a daughter only a few days away from getting married.

Okay then, to try and sort things out, let's start with the crazy events that led to my being kidnapped. It all began when my stupid baka of a boyfriend gave me the fright of my life without the least clue that he was sending me all the wrong signals, and then I'll skip through the frantic chase that took us across town to the dojo, where the oddest things were about to happen…

ONE WEEK AGO:

Light crackled and the clouds above their head parted to reveal a large ship that came drifting down into view, suspended by cables from a dirigible, all painted brightly with garishly ornate coloration. The martial artists stared up at this in stunned disbelief as she ship came to hover over them at a mere hundred foot altitude, and then over the railing appeared a number of oddly dressed figures.

"BEHOLD!" cried the lead figure on the ship, a tall man wearing formalized Chinese dress as if stepping out from another era, "I AM PRINCE KIRIN OF THE SCHOOL OF THE SEVEN LUCKY GODS MARTIAL ARTISTS! I HAVE COME AT THE APPOINTED HOUR TO FIND THE ONE WHOM I AM DESTINED BY FATE TO MARRY!"

"Kinda a flashy way to make an entrance, huh?" Atsuko asked nervously.

"You can tell he's not exactly the shy and retiring sort," Yumi agreed at the level of a stage whisper.

"My prince!" Lychee cried in delight, "You've come for me at last!"

"Who are you, woman?" the Princes in question asked as the ship drifted to a mere fifty foot altitude, "Kirin has no business with you if you do not possess the scroll…" he paused, "Ah, there it is!"

"Hah?" Nabiki was surprised to find herself the sudden focus of the man's interest.

"I think he means that scroll you've got in your hands, Sis," Akane reminded her, "If I were you I'd give it back before there's trouble…"

"Epite!" Kirin commanded.

"As you wish, Sire," a little man with incredibly huge ears stepped forward holding a fishing rod in both hands, and with a snap of his wrists he sent the line reeling down to wind around Nabiki's waist and pin her arms to her sides before anyone could prevent this.

"HEY!" Nabiki cried out as she was suddenly yanked skyward.

"NABIKI!" Ranma cried, surging forward and using the first object in his path that he could find for a springboard: his father's head! With a powerful leap he soared up after Nabiki, nearly catching up with her in mid-flight, only to find his path blocked a pole arm was thrust into his path while the prince scooped Nabiki into his arms and held her tightly.

"Let me pass!" Ranma said as he gripped the shaft of the pole arm and tried to use it for leverage to force his way onto the ship, only to find his way blocked again, this time by a pair of chop sticks that caught him by one ankle.

"You do not have permission to board the ship of Prince Kirin," the Prince in question said disdainfully, and then with a mere flick of his hand sent Ranma tumbling back towards the ground for a certain bone-jarring impact, only to find Shampoo had gotten under him and managed to break his fall with some effort.

"Nabiki!" Soun cried as he looked on in helplessness as the ship began to rise back into the heavens.

"Don't worry, Dad," Akane declared, "I'll stop them!" and with that she jumped into the koi pond and one moment later rose up transformed into her winged aspect. Beating wings with great haste she gained quick altitude and started after the flying vessel.

"You okay, Ranma?" Shampoo asked her Airen.

"Yeah…thanks for the save," Ranma turned his eyes back towards the retreating vessel, "That-that arrogant-I'm gonna get him!"

"No worries, Airen," Shampoo said, "Shampoo go rescue Nabiki."

Turning from his side before he had time to question what she was up to, Shampoo went leaping herself into the koi pond, then emerged in her winged Neko form running full-tilt up the side of a tree and vaulting onto the roof before spreading her wings wide and gliding after Akane.

"What in the world…?" Naomi asked in stunned disbelief.

"Mommy?" Rachael asked in childish wonder, "Did that lady just turn into an angel, and that other one turned into a flying pussy cat?"

"Ah…" Naomi was dubious in trying to formulate an answer.

"Oh man," said Kento at her side, "That guy's gotta be related to Tulpa…"

"Shampoo!" Ranma made a fist, "Nabiki…I gotta go after them!"

"Yeah, but how?" Ryoga asked, "Akane can't fight those guys alone!"

"I could bring them down with a lightning bolt," Makoto suggested.

"Bad idea, Sugar," Ukyo warned, "You blow that thing up and it'll go crashing down into somebody else's house, and probably kill everyone in the process."

"Oh dear," Silk sighed, "Prince Kirin and the Seven Lucky God Martial Artists…I should have known something like this was going to happen…"

"Yes, you should," Comb eyed her friend suspiciously, "So why didn't you?"

"No one is perfect," Nodoka answered matter-of-factly.

"My prince!" Lychee was weeping, "Come back to Lychee!"

"Oh my," said Kasumi, "I do wish Nabiki had told me that she was taking a trip today. I didn't have any time to pack her belongings…"

"Somehow I don't think this was something she planned for," noted Kodachi sagely.

"MY PRINCE!" Lychee cried again as she got onto the back of her elephant and started chasing after the retreating vessel, heedless of the other wall that only briefly impeded further progress.

"Ah…Big Sis?" Kennou asked, and for once she was not being ironic, "Does this sort of thing happen all the time around here?"

"Well, it is a novelty even from where I'm standing," Atsuko admitted.

"Oh my," Kasumi said again, "I suppose I'll have to contact Mister Bogart and have him pay us another visit."

"It's on the Speed-dial," Silk informed her, "Just dial one and hit the pound symbol."

"That…Delinquent!" Hinako shook a fist, her deep and sensual voice giving her anger an ominous ring totally missing in her child form, "How dare they crash in here and ruin the home of my Happy-sama!"

"Er…just for the record," Kennou eyed the shapely teacher, "You were a bit shorter a moment ago, right?"

"Never mind all of that, Child," Happosai folded his arms, "We should be more worried about what the Seven Lucky God Martial Artists intend to do with Nabiki…"

"Say Gramps," Ryoga suddenly loomed over the old man and made a menacing noise with the cracking of his knuckles, "Call me stupid, but I get the sneaky hunch that you know something about those guys…like the girl with the elephant."

"Yeah," Ranma rounded on the dwarf, also cracking his own knuckles, "Tell us about that, why don't you?"

"Master?" Genma adjusted his glasses.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the old man said evasively.

"The Seven Lucky God Martial Artists are an ancient clan who dwell in a remote region of China known only as Nekonron," a voice informed them as all eyes turned to see Lotion standing there, having made another of her trademark mysterious entrances, "Prince Kirin is the latest in a long line of heirs to this powerful school that has long been entrusted with the guardianship of one of the key Portal Gates that exist within their hidden empire."

"Oh great," Happosai growled to himself, "With you here I might as well confess everything…"

"That would be a good idea, Uncle," Lotion informed her fellow Elder, "Beginning with how you stole the scroll that wound up by mischance in the hands of my unfortunate apprentice."

"Stole it?" Soun's eyes darkened, "I see…in other words this is all your fault, Master."

"Give me a break why don't you?" Happosai protested, "I only took the scroll from them for the sake of world peace! Do you know what they were intending to do with it? Use it to sacrifice some poor girl who was being sent to Nekonron on orders from her Imperial father!"

"This ought to be good," Yumi murmured to Comb, "The old freak's about to concoct one of his far-fetched tall tales."

"I'll have you know it's true, I say!" Happosai cried indignantly, "I overheard the retainers in the poor girl's party saying it was so. Those Lucky God Martial Artists are nothing less than a secret society plotting world domination!"

"Pull the other one," Kennou frowned, and Shirokuro at her side silently nodded.

"And your connection with the girl?" Genma asked, his own skepticism well hidden.

"Eh…lovely thing," Happosai said a bit evasively, "When I escaped from their castle I was seriously injured, so I gave it to her as for safe keeping…and such a lovely thing she was back then, only now she's turned into an ingrate."

"And this was what?" Ukyo asked, "About ten years back?"

"Oh no," Happosai replied, "I was a young man barely eighteen on a mission to train myself while touring through China…"

"In other words about three hundred years," Comb noted, "She sure didn't look that old, not even the same age as my grandmother."

"Can't be the same girl," Makoto noted, "Not unless she's got a way of keeping herself young all this time."

"More like a descendant," Silk mused, "And in her line the scroll must have been passed down over the generations."

"Oh dear," Nodoka looked puzzled, "Why then do you suppose she was so upset with Master Happy?"

"Could be because that scroll represents something very tragic in the child's past," Lotion replied, "Perhaps the failure of childhood dreams in which a prince comes to her rescue."

"It don't matter, though," Ranma declared, "If the old man skipped out and left her holding the scroll, then he's responsible for what happened to Nabiki. The thing is that I gotta get her back, and Shampoo too!"

"And Akane!" Ryoga agreed.

"That's right," said Ukyo with a frown, "Akane may be counting on us to come to her rescue if she gets into trouble."

"I don't like this," Makoto said, "But if you're going after them, Senpai, then you can count me in too."

"I thought you kids had to be back in school," Yumi noted.

"This is more important than school," Ranma balled his fist, "It's about the future, and without Nabiki in it my future means nothing!"

"I don't approve of you children playing hooky," Hinako said, "But I suppose under the circumstances your actions can be justified."

"Ah…one question," Kennou raised a hand, "How do you guys intend to follow a flying ship, especially if it's headed towards China?"

"Ah…" Ranma's face went blank, "I've got no idea…"

"It's headed out over water," Ukyo said, "We'd need a ship of our own or…"

"Might I make a suggestion?" smiled Kodachi, "I'll commission a yacht to help in this most worthy endeavor. I control enough of the Kuno fortune the finance an expedition all the way into China, if needs be. One way or another I intend to see to it that these miscreants are punished for daring to purloin my Kasumi-sama's beloved younger sister."

"Then if you're going, I'm going with you," said Kasumi.

"SAY WHAT???" came the collective gasps from all around her.

"Nabiki is my sister," Kasumi said with gentle firmness, "I can't sit back at home and wait to hear what happened to her, and with Kodachi gone…I would be twice as worried."

"Ah, no offense, Kasumi," Ryoga said, "But you're not a fighter, and this could get dangerous…"

"But I'll have all of you to look after me," Kasumi's smile was radiant, "I'm sure I'll be perfectly safe as long as I'm with Kodachi."

"Kasumi-sama…" Kodachi breathed in wonder.

"All right then," Lotion said, "Then as it is, Ranma, Ryoga, Ukyo, Makoto, Kodachi and Kasumi intend to follow Nabiki, Shampoo and Akane into China, then I might as well come along to chaperone. Uncle, will you be coming with us?"

"Why should I?" the old man groused, "Nobody even believes my story…"

"Master!" Soun loomed up with his most demon-headed expression, which even Happosai found a little intimidating.

"We understand that it would be an enormous sacrifice for you, Happy-san," Nodoka replied, "After all, it would mean having to leave Hinako-san here all alone for the duration."

"Eh?" Happosai thought it over for about tenth of a second, "Then what are we waiting around here for? Every second counts if we're going to rescue Nabiki!"

"Then I'll come too," Hinako said, squelching the man's enthusiasm.

"I thought you had to teach classes?" Comb asked in a suggestive manner.

"I've overdue some vacation time, and the substitute can handle my curriculum just fine," Hinako responded, "But it's like what Saotome-san said…without Master Happy my life would be empty."

"Ah…" Kennou said nervously, "Maybe I could volunteer to help out too?"

"Nice try," Atsuko smiled at her, "But you have to wait here with us just in case our father shows up, which is why I'm not going. What about you guys?"

"I think we should stay close to the dojo and help Master Bogart effect repairs," Silk turned to the still-silent Naomi and bowed, "My apologies…our demonstration for today will have to be cut a bit short, I'm afraid, but if you stop by next week I'm sure you'll see that everything will be back to normal."

"Oh?" Naomi privately had estimated that the cost of damages alone exceeded the family's entire operational yearly budget, which meant that if they could somehow pull it off she would be impressed beyond words. As it was she was slowly taking stock of the mayhem wrought by the crazed elephant and wondered if this sort of thing was all that unusual, judging by the way these people were coping. For the first time she began to have some inkling of why Kento had been assigned to guard her.

"Very well," Kodachi smiled, pulling out a pocket cellular phone and speed-dialing up a number, "I'll have Sasuke drive us to the harbor, and within two hours we should be on our way to China."

"Two hours," Ranma fretted, "We could lose them at that rate!"

"Not with me helping to guide you," Lotion assured them, "Besides, I know the way to Nekonron and can get us there should we be unable to intercept them in transit."

"Are you certain you'll be all right, Grandmother?" Silk asked.

"Quite fine," Lotion smiled, "In fact I'm rather looking forward to the trip. It's been a while since I was part of a questing party. The rest of you will stay here and effect the necessary repairs to the dojo, and attend to…other matters that require your attention."

"Oh yeah," Atsuko caught the woman's hidden meaning and glanced obliquely at Naomi, "That."

"All right then," Ranma balled a fist and waved it at the heavens, "It's off to China we go, to get Nabiki and the others back and to pay that Kirin guy a one-way trip to the cleaners!"

"That's very thoughtful of you, Ranma," Kasumi said, "But I don't think we could afford the dry cleaning bill for what he was wearing."

"My son is so manly," Nodoka clenched her hands together and beamed like a proud parent.

"If that creep hurts Akane," Ryoga's expression darkened, "I'll make him sorry he was even born."

"You got that right, Sugar," Ukyo agreed, "But I'm kinda wondering why they took Nabiki in the first place, and what's in that scroll that's important enough to be worth all this trouble?"

"I'm just wondering what Grandmother is up to," Comb rumbled, "It's not like her to miss out on all the action."

"Aw, who cares about the old biddy?" Happosai grumbled in a less-than-convincing tone of voice, "She's probably kicking back having a good time relaxing while the rest of us do all the hard work."

"Oh really?" Silk purred, "I wonder…"

"Hah, too slow, Ryoko!" Cologne taunted as she darted out of the way of the angry space pirate, "You may be formidable by ordinary standards, but your training is weak in a number of places."

"Oh yeah?" the pale-blue haired alien girl snarled as she took another swing in the blue-haired Matriarch's direction, "Well, just stand still and let me show you how weak I am!"

Cologne easily avoided Ryoko's lunge and tapped her on the back with her staff, sending the space pirate tumbling forward to collide against the bowel of a tree, forgetting to dematerialize before immanent collision.

"That was far too predictable," Cologne sighed as she shook her mane of hair sadly, "How do you expect to make a suitable bride for my nephew with such pathetic reflexes? You've taken it far too easy sleeping away the centuries in that cave, it's about time you learned what it means to be a true warrior worthy of becoming a Juraian consort."

"She does seem to be a bit rough with Ryoko," Ayeka commented from the sidelines, "Not that this isn't a fairly amusing display of battle prowess."

"Just remember, Ayeka," Katsuhito smiled blandly, "Your turn is next to spar with your niece and receive a few of her lessons."

"Eh?" Ayeka suddenly looked very ill for some peculiar reason.

"I just hope she doesn't hurt Ryoko," Tenchi fretted, "She's being awfully rough with her, don't you think Grampa?"

"Nonsense," Katsuhito smiled benevolently, "Cologne knows how to read the limits of her opponents and gauge their hidden weaknesses, as well as their strengths. You could do well to learn a lot by studying her methods, Tenchi. She may only be about three hundred years old, but for one so young she is exceedingly skillful."

"I guess," commented Mihoshi from where she and Kiyone sat a bit apart from the others.

"Tea time everybody," Sasami called out brightly as she came upon the clearing holding up a tray laid out with cups and a large pitcher, "Oh my…is Ryoko all right? She doesn't look too comfortable with her legs and arms like that…"

"Meow!" agreed the cabbit who rode on the blue haired child's shoulders.

"Well, I suppose we could take a small break," Katsuhito noted, "Cologne-chan, that will be enough for now. I'm sure Ryoko-san appreciates the wisdom that you have imparted in today's lessons."

"Perhaps," Cologne said calmly as she surveyed the groaning space-pirate, "You fight well from the heart, but you need to use your head to balance things out. I respect your enthusiasm, and it may indeed prove true that you will be a fine mother for my nephew's offspring. I expect a lot more from you when we renew this match in a half an hour, so until then rest up and make yourself ready."

"Is it too late to pray to my ancestors?" Ryoko groaned as Ayeka came up to savor her condition.

"You don't have any ancestors," the Juraian princess pointed out serenely.

"You sure?" Ryoko asked, "I could swear I see my life flashing before my eyes…"

"Here, let me help you, Ryoko," Tenchi urged as he offered a hand to the cyan-haired space pirate, "Ayeka, please help us out."

"Oh, very well," Ayeka decided that she had enjoyed the moment long enough and went to help Ryoko to her feet so that she and Tenchi could guide her to sit on a log with the both of them. No one made any comment about how well the two rivals seemed to be getting along these days because, had it been pointed out, certain denials would have been their response (though Tenchi appreciated that it had been a tad bit easier to live around these two since the incident at the beach had taken the edge off their mutual anger).

"That sure was something else," Kiyone commented as she studied Cologne, "I never knew Earth self defense systems could be that formidable."

"Live and learn every day," Katsuhito replied as he accepted a tumbler of already poured iced tea, "Thank you, Sasami."

"You're welcome," the always polite child beamed, "What about you, Mihoshi?"

"Ah…" Mihoshi glanced at Kiyone as she accepted the two remaining mugs, then paused as she slipped something out from under a finger and let it drop into the cup she handed to Kiyone, "Here you go, I sure hope this works out."

"Huh?" Kiyone asked and she took a sip of her tea while glancing at her partner.

"It's just…" Mihoshi had on a guilty face as if something were on her mind, and she looked at her partner contritely, "I don't want you to get mad at me or anything like that, Kiyone."

"Mad?" Kiyone frowned, "What did you do this time? Crash the ship into the side of a mountain?"

"Ah…no…" Mihoshi replied, "At least…not lately…"

"Sell Okonojo to some junk dealers?" Kiyone eyed her partner a bit harshly.

"Not since you told me not to last time," Mihoshi assured her.

Kiyone softly groaned, "You didn't send that report to headquarters when I told you not to?"

"Kiyone," Mihoshi responded in an almost chiding tone of voice, "You told me what would happen if higher ups heard about what happened on Altair four, so I had Okonojo delete the whole thing from the record, just like you asked me."

"All right then," Kiyone steeled herself, "What is it this time?"

"I…ah…" the tanned girl with the cat-like ears and leonine mane looked down and said, "I've been doing some thinking…"

"You?" Kiyone did not like the sound of that. Mihoshi and "think" did not go well together in a sentence!

"Yeah, and I…kinda wanted to know something…so I kept one of those pearl things that we found on the beach."

"You…kept one of those?" now Kiyone was CERTAIN that she did not like the sound of this!

"Yeah," Mihoshi replied, "All the other pearls just vanished when things started to return to normal, but not the one I'd put inside my cube for safekeeping. I dug that out just today and…well…I thought it'd be a shame not to test it…"

"You didn't?" Kiyone glanced down at her half-drained mug of tea but saw nothing in the amber water. She looked up at Mihoshi and growled, "Mi-Ho-sheeee…?!" her tone suddenly lost its edge as she stared into Mihoshi's eyes, a look of pure wonder replacing her anger.

"I didn't wanna make you do anything you don't want to, Kiyone," Mihoshi's tone was plaintive, "But I had to find out…I wanted to know…if you feel anything about me…even a little. We've been partners for so long and…well…you're the person I care about the mostest in the whole universe, and these pearls are only supposed to work for an hour…"

Kiyone stopped her partner with a hand over her lips, a sultry smile crossing her own as she reached out with her other arm and drew the surprised Mihoshi into her embrace and brought their lips together.

"Oh my," Ayeka looked up in time to see this, "What do you suppose has gotten into those two?"

"Who knows," Ryoko smirked, "About time if you ask me. That Mihoshi's always had the hots for Kiyone, she just didn't know it herself, the dingbell. I was beginning to wonder if Kiyone was ever going to figure it out for herself."

"I guess she did," Tenchi said a bit wistfully, then wondered where that had come from. As if he didn't already have enough female troubles!

"Hey you two," Katsuhito blandly called out as Kiyone began to part Mihoshi's shirt to expose more of her neckline, "If you want to indulge in that, then go do it behind those trees so we can spy on you from concealment."

"Proprieties must be observed," Cologne mused with private admiration for that Mihoshi girl, showing more initiative with that love pearl than the Matriarch would have expected. She turned back to giving her nephew another kind of amused look altogether then said, "So, Master Tenchi, when are you going to stop keeping these girls in suspense and take one or both of them for your blushing brides?"

Tenchi spat out the mouth full of tea he had been swallowing while Ryoko and Ayeka eyed him with raised eyebrows. After he finished coughing and spurting he gasped out, "You've gotta be kidding?"

"Why would I jest about a thing like that?" Cologne asked with a bland expression, "These girls are obviously very committed towards you, and it's just as obvious that you care for them as well, so why would you want to keep things up in the air the way you have been doing? All I see in that approach is a lot of needless pain and bother well into your future."

"But-but-but I can't decide!" Tenchi blurted out, refusing to add that if he picked one girl the other would go ballistic, and besides which he was too young to even think about getting married!

"Then why bother choosing?" Cologne asked with a perfectly straight face, "Marry both of them."

There was a pause, during which time Kiyone and Mihoshi got up and left the clearing, all but unnoticed by the others, broken only by Tenchi's soft sputtered, "B-B-Both of them?"

"Of course," Cologne said, "It is the logical solution when two such strong claims by equally vibrant women share equal legitimacy with an available bachelor such as yourself. I merely point out that a prince of the royal Juraian blood is entitled to have more than one wife, just as my father's father had you by a different woman than his own mother."

"Oh my," Ayeka said, "It's true that father has two wives, but…"

"Yeah," Ryoko said, "But…" and the two of them exchanged nervous glances.

"Well, it is just an idea," Cologne turned away to hide her smirk, "Perhaps I shouldn't say anything, Nephew. You've obviously got the situation well in hand, so forget the foolish words of a meddlesome Aunt. After all, you are still a young man with prospects, so there's no reason to rush things."

Now the two women flanking him were eyeing Tenchi with suspicion, and the young man wondered if the weather was suddenly heating up because he was starting to feel a bit warm under the collar…

"You know," Katsuhito mused, enjoying the nervousness of his grandson, "Cologne does raise a valid point, Tenchi…one you ought to at least consider her words rather than dismiss them, and after all these two would make you very good brides, and the three of you together are stronger than when separate, as you proved against Kagato."

"The three of us?" Ryoko eyed Ayeka.

"Together?" Ayeka mused as if the word were something new to her vocabulary.

Tenchi slumped his shoulders, feeling the weight of his doom settle in over him like the yoke to an oxen. A suggestion here was as good as a commandment, which meant he would be as good as engaged by the end of the day if he didn't think of a reason quick that might deflect the logic of this suggestion. Unfortunately he could not think of a single reason himself. Ayeka was so nice, and Ryoko was very exciting to be around. He had only known them for the better part of a year but already it was becoming hard to think of his life without the two of them in it.

Cologne was enjoying her moment in the sun, away from the craziness that was her life in Nerima. As lively as these young people could be, it was still a tamer existence than could lately be found around the Tendo dojo, and besides that her nephew needed her wisdom to guide him through the difficult times that appeared to be ahead for a prince of the Jurai, a part of her own heritage that she had only recently sought to embrace.

Of course it was merely a vacation, she told herself, and not because she was trying to stay out of sight from a certain blonde haired member of her tribe who had recently demonstrated a renewal of long dormant interest. When she was satisfied that the need for her services here was at an end she would return to resume the training of the young people in Nerima. Shampoo could not possibly hold a grudge against her forever, and then there was Akane and Ryoga, whom she had promised to provide the benefits of her teaching.

Unknown to the youthful Matriarch the very figure whose attention she was seeking to avoid smiled down from the concealment of high branches far overhead. Siren chuckled softly to herself as she hid within the spell of concealment that she had cast over herself and mused aloud, "So this is where you've been hiding yourself, my dear Kho-chan. So nice to see you getting back to your roots, but if you think you can avoid my notice you have another think coming…"

Cologne, of course, did not hear those words being spoken, but a curious tingle along her spine caused her to pause for a moment and glance at the heavens as if sensing a reason to be worried…

"…And these are my two assistants, Romeo and Julian," Ganglot explained to Ryomi, indicating the two Amazons, who had by this point gotten dressed for the occasion, "Children, this is my great granddaughter, Ryomi…or rather one of my current generation of lineal descendants."

"Charmed," Ryomi eyed the strawberry-haired girl who carried herself in such a way that she knew instinctively that this one was a fighter. The brown haired Chinese boy had a studious look about him and did not stand at a ready posture, marking him more as a nerd in her estimation. (Not that she had anything against nerds, of course, since many of her acquaintance had been pretty nice guys when you got to know them.)

"An honor," Romeo replied as she studied the dark haired girl who wore her hair in a warrior's braid, to say nothing of the Apache-style headband that she wore to keep her eyes clear.

"Lady Ganglot," Julian spoke up, "You say one of your descendants, but how many children have been sired by your son and his offspring?"

"More than you might think," Ganglot said in amusement, "But of those surviving in the Hibiki clan I intend to stage something of a mini-family reunion. My granddaughter is the key, of course, as she is presently staying in town with some friends who go way back. I intend to take Ryomi to see her in a few days, after Ryo-chan and I have time to get to know one another better."

"Why not right now?" Ryomi asked.

"Patience," Ganglot winked at her, "I'm told that it is considered a virtue. There are problems inherent in moving too quickly and revealing my hand prematurely. I have only been out of my crypt for but a day and a half, child…I have not yet had time to organize everything to insure a safe and happy reunion…and if I move too quickly there will be certain parties who will move in opposition, lot least of whom is your evil grandmother."

"If my grandfather's such a cool guy, how could anybody he married be evil?" Ryomi wondered.

"Ah…the mysteries of modern relationships," Ganglot sighed, "If I knew the answer to that one I would be a very wise Oni, and not simply a very experienced one. Let's just say that Cybelle and I do not see eye to eye about a lot of things, and that she was certainly easier to get along with when my son was around to temper her devilish impulses. I have been watching too much of life pass me by without being able to directly participate, and now I have so much lost time to make up for…" she sighed, then ruffled Ryomi's hair, "Well, time enough to reminisce. Have you eaten anything since this morning? I was going to order up a sumptuous meal from a local Chinese restaurant, but if you prefer American style foods I can call for a pizza."

"Thanks Great Granny," Ryomi smirked, "It's gonna take me a while go get used to calling you that."

"Well, then we're even," Ganglot replied with an impish grin, "It's going to take me quite a while to get used to being surrounded by a family. You two, of course, will join us for dinner?"

"If that is your wish, Lady," Romeo nodded.

"It's not like we had any other plans-oof!" Julian exclaimed as he received an affectionate rap from his girlfriend's elbow.

Ryomi chuckled, "You two are funny, but how'd you get stuck with names like Romeo and Juliet? Your parents must really have been into Shakespeare."

"Actually they are not their real names," Ganglot explained before ether Amazon could reply to it (or rather Romeo could reply as Julian was still attempting to get his wind back), "Names have power, you see, and since these two will be close to me for the duration, I would prefer it if I not leave any openings for Cybelle to exploit. As these names are a close equivalent to their given Amazon names I thought it would provide just enough insulation that my daughter-in-law's calculations won't be able to touch them. Her spells require careful measurement and adjustment to the specific parameters of a target and…well, I can explain the rest of that later. This way, people…"

As the demoness led the way into a side chamber, Romeo turned to Julian and asked, "Did you understand a word of that?"

"Maybe one in three," Julian replied before adding in a hesitant voice, "I think she means to protect us against this enemy who married her son."

"Hard to imagine that is the fearsome Ganglot of legend," Romeo murmured softly, "If this is some elaborate deception on her part, it's beyond me to fathom."

"If I didn't know better I'd say you were starting to like her," Julian smirked in amusement.

"Whatever gave you that idea," Romeo scowled, but her attempted bravado was transparent to her beloved, who smiled at her as she passed him and dutifully fell in step a pace and a half behind her…

THE PRESENT:

"…And what about you?" Skuld was asking as she finished off her third helping of ice cream, "You were kidnapped by that Kirin guy and taken on board his ship…"

"That's right," Nabiki bounced one bare leg off of the other as she winked at the goddess, "I was the helpless damsel carried off by a wicked prince while my shining, gallant knight and his companions struggled to follow after me, and with my sister and Sham-chan smuggled on board while trying to help me. Of course it wasn't going to be easy for any of us…we had close to three hundred miles to cover in a slow-moving blimp with a gondola the size of an office building, and my friends having only a yacht to follow us in. I didn't get all the details of what happened with Ranma and the others until well after they caught up to me, and I was a little too preoccupied with my more immediate problems to do more than fret about any of that. Kirin and his henchmen were a pretty tough group. It wasn't looking too good for our heroine, let me tell you, and the worst was yet to come!"

"The worst?" Skuld was clearly hanging on the edge of her metaphorical seat with the spoon in her mouth, her eyes as wide as any ordinary human girl listening to a good campfire story.

"Oh yeah," Nabiki formed a circle between her thumb and her forefinger, "Stay tuned for part two, kiddies, and I guarantee it's a doozy…"

Continued

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